Mattituck boys soccer season ends in heartbreaking shootout loss

Cris Cuellar took it hard, very hard. Edwin Orellana had slammed his penalty kick into the upper right corner of the net, just out of the reach of the Mattituck senior goalkeeper, giving Babylon a 4-3 shootout victory in the Suffolk County Class B boys soccer semifinal on Tuesday.

Cuellar fell to the ground in tears. His high school soccer career had just come to a crushing end on his home field, after the teams played to a 1-1 draw after 110 minutes.

His reaction was understandable.

“I just thought it was the last time I played for this team and for the school,” he said. “It’s disappointing we couldn’t make it farther.

“This team’s a big part of my life. It’s sad that we won’t be able to play again.”

Teammates consoled Cuellar (five saves). Head coach Dan O’Sullivan gave his standout goalkeeper a big hug and some reassuring words.

“I just said, ‘You did everything you could,’ ” O’Sullivan said. “There are a lot more conversations that he and I are going to have in the next couple of days. But since I taught him in third grade, I knew that this was going to be a special group. I knew he was a special kid, and he would lead the way that he was supposed to. The kids gravitate to him in a way that’s like no other.

“As I’m watching him walk off for the last time, it’s emotional. I know that it’s not the last time he’s going to put on gloves because I know that he’s got a bright future ahead.”

Known for his booming kicks that have resulted in goals and assists, Cuellar converted his shootout attempt. Babylon’s Logan Borrusso sent his try wide left as Mattituck held a 1-0 first-round lead.

Connor Searl, however, smashed his attempt off the crossbar, and Andy Mancia had his shot saved by Jack Fifield. Jose Chapeton and Franklyn Secaida put away their penalties.

Babylon’s Daniel Murphy, Richard Sorto, and Christian Pena converted PKs.

Last year, Mattituck lost the final in penalties.

The semifinal winner was assured of at least two more games, regardless of how they fared in Friday’s county final at Harborfields H.S. (Babylon will play Southampton.). The N.Y. State Public High School Athletic Association gave Suffolk a Class B at-large bid. The county champion could play the Nassau County winner or the Section IV (Binghamton area) champion. The runner-up would play the other option.

“That’s where this one hurts more than any other because of how special this group was,” O’Sullivan said. “I just knew that if we had that opportunity to get an extra game, we’re just going to ride the high and play as well as we have been.”

Cuellar wasn’t the only senior who was devastated.

“It’s going to be a sad last few months being in high school knowing that we didn’t make it,” defender Dylan Palencia said.

“It’s very difficult,” co-captain and midfielder Andy Mancia said. “It’s my fourth year. Gave everything I had. Unfortunately, I don’t know what happened today.  I missed my penalty. Never happens. I wish I made that. That’s going to be in mind the rest of my life.”

Midfielder-defender Franklyn Secaida said he was sad because “I’ll never wear the Mattituck crest again. When I step off this field, I might not be coming back as an alumnus or as a coach. This might be the last time I ever come off this field.”

Both teams entered on winning streaks. Second-seeded Mattituck (13-3-1) was on an eight-game roll, while No. 3 Babylon (12-4-0) had won 10 in a row.

Sophomore Axel Kellershon headed home Peter Ortiz’s header for a 1-0 lead with 53 seconds remaining in the first half.

“We went out first half; we executed our game plan,” O’Sullivan said. “Will [Hayes, assistant coach] said it best if halftime came at the worst spot. We’re really taking it to them.”

Babylon bolted out of the blocks in the second half, equalizing on Borruso’s goal with 3:32 left in regulation.

Mattituck had a golden opportunity at 1:41 of the second sudden-death overtime, but Fifield (seven saves) knocked away Secaida’s shot and then tipped away Searl’s header off the rebound.

After talking to his team, O’Sullivan was already thinking ahead. He went up to junior standouts Jose Chapeton and Searl.

“You saw what these guys did,” he said. “Now it’s your turn to do it. What do you think is needed for us?”